Whether an injury keeps you out for a few days, a few months or even longer, how do you find the motivation to keep pushing forward and stay focused on recovery?

Getting physically injured is a nightmare, especially for active people and athletes. I had to go through 9 frustrating (and painful) months of rehabilitation last year due to a left shoulder tendon tear and a slipped C5/C6 disc.

Looking back now, it’s hard to believe the challenges that came from the recovery process had actually fueled my will to get well.  Here’s how I had managed the recommended tips offered by professionals to get myself to recovery:

1. Understand what happened

I didn’t realised I was injured.  The neck and shoulder pains I thought were muscle aches did not go away despite rubs, rollers and massages. It was not until I saw a physician and got a MRI done did I know I had a shoulder tendon tear AND a slipped disc!  So what next?

2. Seek supervision

I was referred to an Orthopaedic and a Nerosurgeon for my condition.  Both prescribed anti-inflammatory medication, complete rest for at least 4 to 6 weeks, and a course of physiotherapy.  The medication part is easy but I didn’t expect rest to be so hard.  No gym and no workouts?!

3. Learn to accept rest

So I tried.  It worked for the first week.  Then I started getting bored from not doing anything, and eventually I got miserable.  There must be some exercise I could do!

4. Find alternatives

I started with walks and some lower body-weight exercises.  It’s far from my usual intensity but at least I was doing something, and it made me feel a little better. It also helped that my physiotherapy started around the same time and I had something else to focus on.

5. Acknowledge your emotions

The roller coaster ride of emotions took me by surprise.  The throbbing pain was there as a constant reminder and I wondered often why was it taking so long and whether I would recover at all. I felt good after my walks but then I became moody when I saw the workouts pictures my gym mates were posting on Instagram – without me.

6. Set realistic goals

The physiotherapist became a good friend.  He put together a set of simple exercises I had to do on a daily basis until my next appointment with him.  I wanted to do more (can I do weights, I had asked) but he cautioned that trying to do more may cause more harm than good.  We discussed how far I should push myself and when to ease off.  I was glad I had some control over the situation which helped me stay focused in meeting the milestone we have set together.

7. Fuel your body

I was in a dilemma.  With the cutback on exercise, I technically should not be eating as much as before.  I really did not want to put on the weight I had worked so hard to lose!  A new dietary plan to keep my caloric balance was needed.  Though there were some scaling back on the amount of intake, I made sure I was getting quality food and extra servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to help with the recovery.

It has been a long journey.  I have yet reach full recovery but I am confident that if I stay focused on the course (and not do crazy stuff), I will be back in shape very soon.  Wish me luck!